The Black Tube
by Silvertail
Summary: Pyrus and Zera are trapped by a mysterious vortex. Chapter 3 up! Finally! :)
1. Default Chapter

The Black Tube April 25, 2002  
By Silvertail  
Note: As you may notice, I am unable to write war scenes or strategy for said war scenes. I am not a war story author. That is why, in some parts, the characters are not talking about plans, but are actually just talking about talking about plans.  
  
Chapter 1- The Tube  
Graveheart sat in the council room alone and examined the plans. It was a usual wet day on Planet Ice, where the alliance was camped to make plans for the next battle with the Beast. Graveheart, a miner turned soldier from Planet Rock, was studying the strategic plans that would be carried out in two day's time against Remora, the dead planet where the Beast kept their base.  
Jade entered the room. "I don know how long we can stay here, Graveheart," She told him in annoyance. "We are in a great freezer. Besides that, I was talkin' to one of Cryos' servants and there's supposed to be a huge ice storm tonight."  
"Well," Graveheart said back to her, "I guess this is a good place to be. Inside, I mean. We'll head out tomorrow and be ready to fight the day after as long as this storm doesn't last." Jade was ready to leave right then. She didn't know how Graveheart could handle staying on these planets.   
Graveheart knew what she was thinking, and couldn't help agreeing. He liked Ice as it was important in the alliance, and was home to his friends but sometimes he wished he was back home on Rock.  
***  
  
That night was the kind of night that made thousands of people glad they had walls to protect them. The wind was howling and ice hit the ceilings and walls like stones. Inside Ice's palace, the Alliance was having a meeting, even through the storm.   
The room was under the roof, so there was not much of the storm missed.  
"Wow!" Prince Pyrus of Fire exclaimed. "Listen to it come down! We didn't have storms like this on Fire, that's for sure!"   
King Cryos shook his head. "A storm of this magnitude is rather unusual, even for us. I hope it ends soon."   
"We did not come here to talk about the weather!" Jade proclaimed hotly. "We're here to talk about the Beast and our battle plans."   
"You are right, Jade," Princess Tekla agreed. "Let's go over our plans for the attack." Zera was growing impatient. "We've been over those plans so many times. I don't think anyone will forget."   
"Zera, it's imperative that we know exactly what is happening. Please pay attention." King Cryos told his daughter gently.   
"Ya know, I don't know what you all are talkin' about. This cockamamie plan isn't going to work anyway!" Lord Femur shouted.  
"Please, Femur! Try to cooperate." Graveheart asked wearily.   
Zera stood up, saying, "I believe I'm going downstairs. My head needs a rest."  
"Perhaps a rest is what we all need," Cryos said thoughtfully. "We have been working hard lately." With that, it was of general agreement and the whole of the alliance left to go to bed.  
A short three hours later, Graveheart was woken up by a strange sound. This was not unusual, he was on a strange planet. Still, he felt restless and decided to go and investigate. It was early evening now, and the storm still raged. He was down the hall and was thinking of finding a bathroom when Zera suddenly jumped in front of him, grabbed his arm and dragged him towards the main room.   
"Zera, what is-" Zera looked at him. "Shh! You won't believe it! I was going to wake you, everyone else is up." Graveheart was fully confused but followed. Zera led him to a large dining hall where the crew of the Alliance and many palace servants were sitting, looking at the spectacle before them. Graveheart stared in awe.  
The item of such common interest lay in the middle of the room. It was black and shiny, and it seemed to curve around itself and curl into the ceiling. It was a large black tube.   
"Graveheart, what is it?" Tekla asked him nervously. Jade had her hand on a knife, probably from instinct then any real danger sensed.  
"I don't know, Tekla. It looks like a vortex of some kind."  
"It could have been caused by the ice storm," Pyrus suggested.   
Zera laughed at him. "Don't be silly. How could a storm cause something like this, matchhead?"   
"It could be caused by electrical interference, ice breath!"  
"Get away from there now!"  
Graveheart looked over at Jade, who was pulling away a waiter who had dared to poke the tube.   
"We don't know what this thing is so leave it alone!"  
Cryos stepped up to the center of the room. "Excuse me. I must ask that all personnel and guests return to their rooms. This…problem will be dealt with by experts first thing tomorrow. In the meantime, you all must leave."  
Slowly, everyone filed out. Not one body left without looking back at the strange black tube.   
"So what do you think it does, Pyrus?" Zera asked as they left the dining room.   
"I have no idea. Are you thinking what I think you are?"  
"You have known me long enough. I'll meet you right here at 11:00, okay?"  
"I'll see you then."  
  
***  
  
Several hours passed. Pyrus and Zera met as planned, in the dark hallway outside the dining room. They had a quick whispered conversation.  
"You made it!"  
"So did you."  
"I almost didn't, I almost got lost."  
"Well, that would have been brilliant."  
"Are we here to see the tube or not?"  
"Be quiet or no one will see the tube tonight."  
They snuck over to the dining room door, and found it locked. This was not unexpected. "I'll get the key, just wait here," Zera commanded Pyrus. This was followed by a heated argument on whether Pyrus would wait or come with. Zera won, so Pyrus waited outside. Zera was gone twenty minutes, a long twenty minutes in which Pyrus was sure someone would come around the corner and arrest him every minute that went by.  
Finally, as he was making up excuses as to why he was standing in the hall by himself, Zera returned. "What took you so long?"  
"Quiet, there are probably guards!" She scolded, unlocking the door.   
Sure enough, the door was guarded. "Quiet," Zera whispered.   
"Well, you don't have to tell me that…"  
"Excuse me!" Zera called out. "What are you-" "Quiet!"   
Pyrus stood angrily as a guard walked over to them. "Lady Zera? What are you doing out of bed?"   
"Oh, it's silly, really," Zera said sweetly. "I left my bag behind on a table. Would you let me get it? I won't even look at that big scary black thing."  
The guard appeared puzzled. "Your bag? Well, I'll get it for you. Wait right here."  
"No!" Zera shouted. "You see, it has some very important personal private things in it and I want only me to touch it. No offense to you, of course."  
"O-Of course not, my lady. Be very quick."   
Zera headed into the room, and Pyrus followed. The guard poked him. "You are not permitted in here."  
"Of course he is," Zera said smoothly. "He is my guest and is welcome anywhere I say he is. Now move aside." The guard moved, obviously cowed.   
Zera and Pyrus stepped across the dining hall until they were in front of the tube. It swirled in inky blackness and seemed to hold all kinds of mysteries. The two teenagers stood there, agape. Pyrus reached out and touched it.   
  
END CHAPTER 1  
  
Thanks for reading. I'll admit this was not the best work of fiction I ever wrote, but I kind of liked it anyway so I put it up. If you would like to MiST this, I would be honoured. Just tell me where it is so I can read it. Please review! 


	2. The Field

Chapter 2- The Field  
  
Note: I would like to apologize for the number of times you will read the word "nothing" in this chapter.  
  
Zera watched the tube intently. It was like black water rising into the ceiling. She turned to share this observation with Pyrus, to find he had his hand inside the tube.   
"Pyrus! Get your arm out of there!" She whispered. Pyrus was annoyed. "Will you stop trying to boss me? It's really irritating so lay off!"   
Zera was about to retort when suddenly Pyrus disappeared. This was such an unexpected happening that she nearly started to yell, when she realized he must have gone in the tube. Where else would he go? But why?   
"Pyrus! Get out of there!" She heard nothing. He was probably just mad at her.  
"Pyrus!" There was still nothing.  
What if he was stuck? Zera thought about what she should do. If she went to get help, and this was just some kind of joke, he would have license to laugh at her. She reached into the tube to grab his arm and felt nothing.  
Suddenly, it was as if someone grabbed her arm, and she was pulled into the tube all together in one second. Inside, it was as if the floor disappeared and she was falling, and everything was black. Then the ground was under her feet again as if it had always been there, and she sat down hard.   
It was still black, but Zera was unquestionably outside now. "Pyrus?"  
Zera got to her feet and looked around. The air was mild, slightly breezy. There was no moon or stars. Zera stumbled around, trying to get her bearings. She walked into nothing, and she heard nothing. There were leaves underfoot so there was something.   
"Well," She thought to herself, "I guess I'd better wait for morning." She lay down on the ground and tried to sleep.  
  
***  
  
Zera lay awake all night, nervous. She had no idea where she was, or what or who was here. Eventually the night turned to dusk and she was able to look around her.   
The land that Zera was occupying was a large field. It went on over hills and the horizon, as far as she could see. That wasn't what really interested her, however.   
Some distance away, about a five minute walk, was a small group of people, just sitting there. Pyrus was not among them.   
Zera walked over to them. "Hello," She said politely.   
The people included one person from the planet Ice, one from Bone, four from Rock and three from Fire, which Zera found an interesting coincidence that it should be those planets. None of them acknowledged her.  
Zera tried again. "Hello, can anyone tell me where I am?"  
Nothing.  
"I came through in a black tube."  
This got a few looks but for the most part, interest was not high.  
"What are you all waiting for?"  
"Not for you." Zera was taken surprise by this rude response.   
"Well, I'm sorry I'm not who you're waiting for. I'm looking for Prince Pyrus. He's from the planet Fire. Did he pass this way?"  
There were several uninterested hums.  
"Wait," A lady from Ice spoke up. The emotion in her voice surprised Zera. "A young fire kid? I saw one. He passed by a couple of weeks ago. He was looking for you, too. Gave a description."  
Zera sighed. "That can't be him; he wasn't here a couple of weeks ago."  
The man from Bone spoke up. "We remember everyone who passes through here. Now leave. We might miss the tube."  
"Are you trying to go back home?" Zera asked.  
A man from Rock laughed. "This is our home. Now beat it."  
The lady from Ice spoke up. "I remember which way that kid went. He went that way." The gesture was so vague it could have been skywards. She sighed. "Okay, follow me."  
The Bone man questioned her, "Linne, what are you doing?"  
Linne suddenly and inexplicably got angry. "I'm leading her. She needs help."  
"If He comes, you may miss it."  
"So I'll miss it." Linne replied. "We've been waiting for goodness knows how many centuries- or hours, I'm not even sure anymore. I'm sick of it. Come with me." She commanded Zera.  
The Bone man's face filled with rage. "If you leave, you are not coming back."  
Linne ignored him, and led the way over the hill.  
They walked across the hills until the sun was high overhead.  
Zera finally had to ask her, "Why did you leave? Who were you waiting for anyway?"  
Linne seemed to answer the second question first. "Someone who left us in the lurch for way too long. I've been waiting all my life and I've been looking for an excuse to leave lately."  
"Won't you get in trouble?"   
"Probably."  
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Linne spoke up again.  
"I guess I should tell you the real reason why I went with you. I wanted to talk to you."  
"Oh," Zera said uncomfortably. "What about?"  
Linne told her, "It's just that you seem to be my kind of people. I've been told for so long that I've lived here all my life but I keep having dreams about this other place. It's blue, and cold. It's often slippery too. Very beautiful."  
"Yes, that's my home, Ice."  
Linne looked at her and changed the subject. "I have to tell you, this kid came by such a long time ago, I can't even guess how long it'll take to find him. We might have to walk a couple of months…or maybe he'll be over the next hill."  
Zera was puzzled. "Are you sure it was a couple of weeks that you saw him?"  
"No. It was a long time before you showed up, that's for sure."  
"I don't get it. Why did we come separately?"  
"Because time is messed up here. Yesterday, we had daylight for six minutes. Some of us were pretty mad, too."  
"So what's with the tubes? When do they come? What do they do?"  
"The tubes…" Linne looked troubled. "They…do what they…do. They bring people here. They're supposed to bring this one guy here, but they never have."  
"So…" Zera started. "Do they work the other way? After I find Pyrus, I have to get back because we're having a big battle in a couple of days."  
Linne laughed. "I told you, time is messed here. If you do get back, you may be disappointed."  
Zera looked at her in confusion. "Why?"  
"Because when you get back you may be surprised to find that you've been gone five minutes…or five hundred years. Who knows? Everyone you know may be long dead by now."  
Zera couldn't believe it. "How can you talk like that? That's awful!"  
Linne shrugged. "It's the truth."  
Zera was so angry she couldn't speak. Running ahead, she went over the hill and ran until she was out of sight of Linne and was astonished to see a small shack ahead of her.   
Zera ran and ran until she reached the shack's door and charged in. A man at the counter looked at her. "Water?"  
Zera, overwrought with exhaustion, confusion and hunger, collapsed.  
  
***  
  
She was lying in a bed…where was she? Zera remembered. She was still in this strange place that the tube had brought her. She closed her eyes and thought about her friends and her father back home.  
"Is she awake?"  
"I don't know what happened, she suddenly got angry and ran."  
Zera opened her eyes. "Pyrus?"  
Linne looked at her. "No, it's me, and you better not run like that in this heat again."  
"Where am I?" Zera asked sadly.  
Linne answered. "You're on the lovely planet of Lito, isn't that right, Jack?"  
Jack laughed. "Well, that's the general answer, of course. Specifically, you're in my daughter's bedroom, in her bed. How are you feeling?"  
Zera closed her eyes and went back to sleep.  
  
*** 


	3. The Strange Family

Chapter 3- The strange family  
  
It was a very strange sleep for Zera. Images of her father and late mother, Graveheart and Pyrus, and the rest of her friends flashed through her mind. Suddenly she was awake in a hard lumpy cot. As a princess, Zera was used to luxury and wasn't about to put up with such an uncomfortable mattress.  
  
"Excuse me!" She demanded of the rooms beyond this one. "I would like to be moved to a more suitable bedroom!"  
  
There was no answer. Zera suddenly recalled what had happened in the last couple of days and realized with a gasp she had to get out of here!   
  
She was halfway to the door when a young girl opened it up.   
  
"Hello," She said cheerfully. Zera didn't respond, instead she darted past her and into what appeared to be a very small lobby of some kind where a man she recognized from last night sat with Linne. They were both blowing soap bubbles.  
  
"Well, you're up!" Linne said cheerfully. "Want to blow some bubbles?"  
  
It occurred to Zera that perhaps she had gone insane. What other explanation was there?  
  
"We have weed soup, if you're hungry," The man said kindly.  
  
"No thank you. I need to get out of here!"  
  
"Without introductions?" Linne said reproachfully. "This is my good friend Keller. He used to be a cop on Fire until he ended up here."  
  
Zera was distracted. "You're from Fire?" She asked, fascinated.  
  
Keller nodded. "Necia is my daughter. She was just a baby when she and I ended up here. You must have met her in your room."  
  
"Please, can I go?" Zera asked. "Maybe you don't get it, but I need to find Pyrus. He's the king of Fire, so it's very important that we get back and fight the Beast."  
  
Keller looked thoughtful. "I don't think so. I want to turn this into a terminal for weary travelers and I want you to clean up, keep the beds made and the stove hot. Also-"  
  
"DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?" Zera yelled. "I have to go back! It's a matter of life and death."  
  
"You need some bubbles, Zera." Linne said. "They're relaxing." she handed her a wand.  
  
Zera put it in her pocket absently. "I'm going, whether you like it or not!" She exclaimed. Keller heard the determination in her young voice and knew there was no one stopping her.   
  
"Fine. I'll give you whatever you need...as long as you take Necia."  
  
"Why should I take Necia? Whoever that is. I thought you needed her help."  
  
"I could use it but she's my daughter. If you ever find your way back I want her to return with you. Maybe this way she can find her mother. I'm far too old and settled to make the trip, but she has her whole life ahead of her. At least this way she may be able to grow up somewhere where the time isn't crazy."  
  
Zera thought about it.  
  
Some time later Zera and Necia were loaded down with packs of food and water, Necia also had a blanket, for her fire body was too warm to handle whatever cold weather lay ahead.   
  
They walked for sometime before Zera spoke up.  
  
"So...do you remember Fire?" She asked curiously.  
  
Necia shook her head. "I do not, but I'm sure it's beautiful. My father used to talk about it all the time. It was home to him. I can't wait to get there! Have you been there?"  
  
"Yes...but I'm originally from Ice, so..."  
  
"Where?" Necia asked, puzzled.   
  
"Ice. It's a planet made from a glacier. It's home to me."  
  
"Oh. I knew you were from someplace else but I never heard of Ice. Is it pretty?"  
  
Zera's eyes shone as she thought about it.   
  
"It's beautiful. It's always so blue and crystalline. I never realized how much I would miss it."  
  
Necia smiled at the thought of her own planet, the one she had never seen. She could form a picture in her head of it's majestic beauties.  
  
"Zera, when we get back, can I see your planet too?"  
  
"Sure, if there's a planet left," Zera said glumly.  
  
"Why- what do you mean?" Necia asked.  
  
"See, one reason I need to find Pyrus and get back quick is because we're fighting a great evil. It's called the Beast, and it's a planet of creatures that eat other planets and their resources. Unless we get back quick, they may win."  
  
Necia looked puzzled.  
  
"Do you mean that you and Pyrus are in charge of all of this? But you're no older than me!"  
  
Zera smiled.  
  
"I'm more mature than I look, you know. All the other fighters need us, or they will be terrible upset and their morale may drop. Pyrus is the king of Fire so he definitely-"  
  
"Pyrus is the king of my home planet?" Necia exclaimed. "Wow! I can't wait to meet him!"   
  
Zera tried several times to tell her more about the war but Necia was so star struck about possibly meeting a king that it was to no avail. Telling her she (Zera) was a princess didn't impress her the same way; after all, it was a different planet, pretty as it was.   
  
****  
  
Sorry this chapter is so short but I was anxious to get it up. I just want you all to know that I took a break from writing when something was going on in my life, and I wasn't sure if I was going to write any more at all. Turns out I was wrong. :)   
  
I'm so glad to be writing more to this story and I'll have much more up in the next week. I just want you all to know that I did not give up on this story! 


End file.
